Ironing machine



ep 1954 G. VERCAMMEN IRONING MACHINE Filed Nov. 29, 1951 ame/who,

GUSTBYE VERcnnnE Patented Sept. 21, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEIRONING MACHINE Gustave Ve'cammen, Gand, Belgium Application November29, 1951, Serial No. 2 58514 Glaims priority, application Belgium Mayt), 1951 (CI. es-A) h h It is still another object of the presentinvntion to reduce the number of attendants required for an operation ofthe ironing machine.

An ironing machine according to the 'present invention comprises in itsbroadest -aspects an ironing cylinder, a countermember arranged withrespect to the -ironing cylinder so as to define an ironing spacebetween the ironing cylinder and the countermembe, the ironing cylinderand the countermember bein g heated by gas, and means for carrying thematerial to be ironed through the ironing space between the ironing cylinder and the countermem'ber, the carrying means conveying the materialfurther into a zone in which it can be reached by hand by an operatorcharged with the collecting of the material after ironing.

The countermember can be designed either as a countercylinder or as a:parthaving a preferably part-cylindrical recess.

A preferred embodiment of the presentinvehtion compr ises in combinationan elongated table, a gas-heated part arranged across the table, thegas-heated part havinga .part-cylindrical recess ;arranged at the uppersurface theref, a 'gasheated ironing cylin'cler having a lengthsubstantialiy corresponding to' the width of 'the table, and beingarranged above the .part so as to defin'e with the recess thereof apart-cylindri'cal ironing space, a first roller and a "second 'rollerarranged, respectively, at the front and rear ends ot the table, anendless band passing oi/er the first roller, the table, through the'ir'ning space between the ironing Cylindera'n the 'part and 'over thesecond roller, and means fr 'automatically c'ontrolling the tension of'the endless band,

tt here'by the material to 'be 'ironed is carried b'y the entlless 'bandthroughfthe ironin'g space be tween the gas-heated bart 'and the'gas-heated i`rb`ning cylinder and is 'further conve'yed to 'a zone inwhich it 'c'an joe :cached 'by hand by an opera- 4 charged With thcollecting'o'fthe material after ironing.

Prereraby the ehdless'bah 'has "a 'width b'ein'g i 2 substantially 'qult' the With 'f the 'table and 'the length of the iroifing 'cyl'indeh hIn a preferred embodim'nt of the ,present 'in- 'Vention a hem isarranged 'along the edge 'of the endless band and'a c'ur'vedba'"preferahly consisting of metal is arrange'd with 'respect to bire 'ofthe rollers so as to sari-c'fund paft the rimtr near one end 'ther'df,'the bar 'engagng theheiii. of the endless band 's'o as to gide thesame.

Preferably an "armem- -groo'v is provided 'near the end of the rourassociat'ea With the c'rv bar, the annular 'grove holding the bar finposi*- tion on the roller. A

In a prererred mbdifneht 'f the present linvention the ironingcyli'r'tler hafs the shap'e of a hollow metal drum *arra g'd horoifthy:and non-rotatabl'y and a ;gas 'pipo having 'a purfity of lateralaperture's 'is a'fi'a'n'getl hofizntall'y in the hollow drum ata.position 'being 'an'gularly displaced by 25 'to 40 with respect to thevertical 4 through the longittdinal aX'is f the di'fn 's'o that the drumis healted `b`y the :gas e's'capifig frorh th' apertures of the pipe'injp'lace'sspaced ap'art from' the crest of the drum. Prerra y the 'drm 'h'as 'pbli'shed 'outr surface 'ilevoi *of anycoverin nateria'l. a

The 'noi/el features t'vhitfh are 'Cohid'e'ed '378 characteristic forthe ihve tibh 'are 'set forth in particular in the 'appended claim's.''he inven tion itself, however, `both as to it's Construction and itsmethod OT operation, tb'gethr With adili"- tonal objects and "advantagesthereofl'wfll bebest understood from the following description *oi*specific embodiments when 'read in "connection With the accompanyingdrawings, in which:: H

Fig. 1 is a diranmti 'side l'vatioh 'f 'an ironing machine accr'ding to'the 'inventiom Fig. 2 is an end elev ati'on n 'an enlarge'd scale ofthe roller 'at the .front end o f the 'mamane shown in Fig. 1; i

Fig. 3 is a partal side elevation 'on a'n en'largel scale of the rollershown 'in`Fig.'2`; h w

Fig. 4 is an end el evatio'n 'onan eriar gea 'sca'i'e of the roningc'yl'ih'der "shwf in themclfin 'in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 5 is 'a sctional side 'elevatin 'oh eh'- larged scale of Jpart 'ofFi'g. 1.

Referring now to the 'drawing and "first 'to Fi'g. 1, the 'table 'I ofthe 'machine jcbnis'ti'g of 'ahi' suitable material is provided `Withasmooth 'sur'- face and is 'arrang'e'd in 'the usra rrarmer onenunderstructure (not shown). The *table fl *is* provided With 'acountermember .pr rrb'y "a metallic part 2 forin'iig'a partynnanc rcssand being heated by gas as shown ih Fig. `5 in;

which the part 2 is heated by a g as' pipe 20. Above the recess of thepart 2 is arranged the ironing cylinder 3 which is equally heated by gasas more fully explained hereinafter. It should be understood however,that the part 2 can be replaced, if desired, by a counter-cylinderheated by gas. The ironing cylinder 3 is supported by bearing blocks 2|(Fig. movable in a groove of the frame 22 so as to allow a displacementalong the vertical according to the thickness of the material to beironed. At the both ends of the table l rollers 4 and 5 having axes,respectively, substantially parallel to the axis of the ironing cylinder3 and consisting of wood, caoutchouc, metal or plastic material areprovided, respectvely, which are supported by bearings (not shown) whichallow a free rotation of the rollers. Below the table l stretchingrollers 6 and 'l are arranged one of which is driven by a motor (notshown). The axes of the rollers are arranged substantially parallel tothe axes of the rollers 4 and 5. An endless band E having a widthsubstantially equal to that of the table l and to the length of thecylinder 3 passes between the cylinder 3 and the part 2 of the table land around the rollers 4, 5, 6 and so that the upper part of the band 8is supported above the table by the rollers 4 and 5 between. which theupper part of the band 8 enters the space between the part 2 andcylinder 3. The lower part of the band 8 passes around the stationaryrollers 'I and 6 underneath the table. The tension of the endless band 8can be automatically adjusted, e. g. by automatically adjusting thedistance of the rollers 4, 5 or the like.

The endless band 8 consistng of textile material such as cotton, linen,silk, rayon, nylon, or the like, is provided along one or each edgethereof With a hem a few centimeters wide which is: engaged by a metalbar 9 which can be round, half round, or flat and is bent back aroundone of the rollers 4 or 5, preferably around the roller '4 beingarranged at the front end of the table l. In said roller, preferablynear each of the eX- tremities thereof, an annular groove ID is providedwhich serves together with the table I for holding the bar 9 in position(Figs. 2 and 3). The band 8 is in consequence thereof guided by the hemthereof on the bar 9. It should be understood that a similar bar (notshown) is disposed along the other edge of the band 8 so that the latteris perfectly guided and cannot crease or displace itself under theironing cylinder 3; the width of the band 8 is stabilized and its courseis rectilinear.

Referring now to Figs. 4 and 5, the ironing cylinder 3 is shaped as ahollow drum consisting of iron or steel and is heated by means of theflames` caused by gas escaping through lateral apertures of a gas tubeor pipe ll which is arranged horizonta'lly and in a position beingdisplaced to: the vertical by an angle between 25 and 40 as clearlyshown in Fig. 4 in order to improve the combustion of the gas. In fact,in the position of the gas pipe l l shown in the drawings, the flames donot burn near the crest of the cylinder 3 where the air is poor inoxygen and mixed with burnt gases but in immediate proximity of theinternal wall of the cylinder`3 at places further down in a pureatmosphere formed by the continually arriving fresh air which passesthrough the lateral flanges of the cylinder 3, whereas the burnt gasesac- 'cumulate in the upper part of the cylinder 3 before escaping fromthe same.

i The gas pipe ll can be fed with coal gas,

and not provided with any cover such as those conventionally used in themajority of ironing machines. v

The operation of this machine is as follows: The material to be ironedis placed on the band 8 so that it occupies the total width of the partof the upper portion of the band 8 supported by the table l and Situatedbefore the ironing cylinder 3. The width of the band 8 and consequentlyof' the table l are Conveniently chosen and may have any suitable value.The material is con- Veyed by the band 8 to the cylinder 3 and guidedunderneath the latter so that it is ironed in the ironing space betweenthe cylinder 3 and the recessed part 2 which are both heated by gas.After passing underneath the cylinder' 3 the ironed material which isstill carried by the band 8 is conveyed to a Zone in which the materialcan be reached by the hands of the operator charged With collecting thematerial after ironing. The machine thus allows a "continuous" ironingover the whole length of the cylinder 3 and requires a Very reducedattendance by personnel. Actually only two persons are required forOperating the machine, one for putting the material to be ironed on theband 8 before it passes the cylinder 3 and the other for lifting theironed material from the band 8 after passing the cylinder 3.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or twoor more together, may also find a useful application in other types ofironing machines differing from the types described above.

While the invention has illustrated and described as embodied in amachine for ironing a material, it is not intended to be limited to thedetails shown, since various modifications. and structural changes maybe made without departing in any way from the spirit of the presentinvention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist ofthe present invention that others can by applying current knowledgereadily adapt it for various applications without omitting featuresthat, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essentialcharacteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this inventionand, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to becomprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of thefollowitng claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is: v

1. A machine for ironing a material, comprising in combination, anelongated table; a heated part arranged across said table, said heatedpart having a part-cylindrical recess arranged at the upper surfacethereof; a heated ironing cylinder having a length substantiallycorresponding to the width of said table, and being arranged above saidpart so as to dene with said reoess thereof a part-cylindrical ironingspace; a first roller and a sceond roller arranged, respectively, at thefront and rear ends of said table; an endless band passing over saidfirst roller, said table, through said ironing space between saidironing cylinder and said part and over said second roller; a hemarranged along the edge of said endless band; and a curved bar arrangedwith respect to one of said rollers so as to surround part of theperimeter thereof near one end thereof, said bar engaging said hem of-said endless band so as to guide the same, whereby the material to beironed is carried by said endless band through said ironing spacebetween said heated part and said heated the width of said table, andbeing arranged above' said part so as to denne with said recess thereofa part-cylindrical ironing space; a first roller and a second rollerarranged, respectively, at the front and rear ends of said table; anendless band passing over said first roller, said table, through saidironing space between said ironing cylinder and said part and over saidsecond roller; a hem arranged along the edge of said endless band; acurved bar arranged with respect to one of said rollers so as tosurround part of the perimeter thereof near one end thereof, said barengaging said hem of said endless band so as to guide the same; and anannular groove provided near the end of said roller associated with saidcurved bar, said annular groove holding said bar in position on saidroller, whereby the material to be ironed is` carried by said endlessband through said ironing space between said heated part and said heatedironing cylinder and is further conveyed to a zone in which it can bereached by hand by an operator charged `with the collecting of thematerlal after ironing.

3. A machine for ironing a material, comprising in combination, anelongated table; a heated part arranged across said table, said heatedpart having a part-cylindrical recess arranged at the upper surfacethereof; a heated ironing cylinder having a length substantiallycorresponding to the width of said table, and being arranged above saidpart so as to define with said recess thereof a part-cylindrical ironingspace; a first roller and a second roller arranged, respectively, at thefront and rear ends of said table; an endless band passing over saidfirst roller, said table, through said ironing space between saidironing cylinder and said part and over said second roller; a hemarranged along the edge of said endless band; and

a curved bar consisting of metal and being arranged with respect to oneof said rollers so as to surround part of the perimeter thereof near oneend thereof, said bar engaging said hem of said endless band so as toguide the same whereby the material to be ironed is carried by saidendless band through said ironing space between said heated part andsaid heated ironing cylinder and is further conveyed to a zone in whichit can be reached by hand by an operator charged with the collecting ofthe material after ironing.

4. A machine for ironing a material, comprising in combination, anelongated table; a heated part arranged across said table, said heatedpart having a part-cylindrical recess arranged at the upper surfacethereof; a heated ironing cylinder having a length substantiallycorresponding to the width of said table, and being arranged above saidpart so as to define with said recess thereof a part-cylindrical ironingspace; a first roller and a second roller arranged, respectively, at thefront and rear ends of said table; an endless band passing over saidfirst roller, said table, through said ironing space between saidironing cylinder and said part and over said second roller; a hemarranged along the edge of said endless band; a curved bar consisting ofmetal and 'being arranged with respect to one of said rollers so as tosurround part of the perimeter thereof near one end thereof, said barengaging said hem of said endless band so as to guide the same; and anannular groove provided near the end of said roller associated with saidcurved bar, said annular groove holding said bar in position on saidroller, whereby the material to be ironed is carried by said endlessband through said ironing space between said heated part and said heatedironing cylinder and is further conveyed to a zone in which it can bereached by hand by an operator charged with the collecting of thematerial after ironing.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 188,686 Smith Mar. 20, 1877 361,773 Miller Apr. 26, 1887535,133 Gustafson Mar. 15, 1895 l,628,436 Segrin et al May 10, 19271,994,360 Hurxthal Mar. 12, 1935 2,436,530 Sando Feb. 24, 1948

